Make Your Own: Tutti-Frutti Eyeshadow

Colorful eyeshadow is making a comeback! Or so every women’s magazine is saying. But does it look good on a real person?

To find out, I tested out the tangerine and electric blue shades recommended in Nylon. I copied their models’ makeup exactly, even using the CoverGirl eye shadow palette featured in their spread. I purchased the brand’s four-shade Tropical Fusion, around $5 at drugstores. The eye shadow itself took about three minutes to apply—the broad, cartoonish strokes were easy to copy. But I also had to spend more time than usual on my foundation and hair. With eye makeup like this, the rest of you has to be pulled-together, or you’ll look like a particularly whimsical bag lady.

Then I went out for the day to see what people would think. Friends’ reactions ranged from “You look like Lady Gaga” to “You’re wearing too much…of everything.” I expected some stares on the subway, or at least some creative catcall incorporating Rainbow Brite on my Brooklyn street, but most people were either too polite or—more likely—too jaded to react.

Also worth noting: at night, this makeup is not nearly as bright. In a bar, a friend thought I was wearing smoky gray eye shadow. Try a different, more vibrant color if you need to stand out at the club.